Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Kennedy (Roll 47)

The couple was married in Williams Co, OH on 15 Oct 1882 (Marriage V5 #228 says 18 Oct 1882).They did not have children.Francis complained that Margaret was willfully absent for more than three years.He said he was abandoned on 30 Dec 1885.He called a witness statement into evidence.His witness was John C. Grim, a 31-year-old civil engineer lately of Columbus, OH.His sister was Margaret Kennedy.John stated that Margaret had come to live with him in Bryan.John also stated that Francis owned a half interest in the drug store known as Long and Kennedy in Bryan.

In her answer Margaret said Francis was guilty of gross neglect and he refused to live with her.She had no money and was in ill health.Francis owned Lot 5 and Lot 8 in Stough’s Addition, Bryan, Pulaski Twp (also Sec 1), OH plus goods, chattel, and drug stock.She wanted the divorce to proceed and be restored to her maiden name of Grim. Margaret was granted reasonable alimony of $540 with a payment schedule.

Francis Kennedy was born on 23 Sept 1842 in Ashland Co, OH, the son of George Washington and Charlotte Catherine Glessner Kennedy.The family came to Williams Co, OH in the spring of 1855 where the father bought 200 acres in Section 1 of Pulaski Twp.

1850 Milton, Ashland, Ohio; Roll: M432_658; Page: 17B; Image: 295.

h/h 15/15 Francis 8 OH living with his parents and siblings

Francis took part in the Civil War in Co H 38th OVI from 16 Sept 1861 – 5 Sept 1864.He later attended Oberlin College and taught in Ohio and Kansas.In 1871 he set up a drug store in Bryan.In 1876 he was in Ottawa Co, OH with a drug store but came back to Bryan in 1878.In Aug 1878 he established a partnership in the Long and Kennedy Drug Store. On 30 Oct 1879 he transferred his church membership to the Presbyterian Church in Bryan. (The History of Williams Co, OH, Weston Goodspeed, 1882, p568-569; County of Williams, Shinn, 1905, p445-446)